O Lord, to You I cry out; For fire has devoured the open pastures, and a flame has burned all the trees of the field. The beasts of the field also cry out to You, for the water brooks are dried up, and fire has devoured the open pastures. Joel 1:19-20
As the first to call others to repentenance, the prophet Joel had to be the first to heed the warning. He had to lead by example and exhort the people to respond. In the midst of proclaiming judgment, God’s prophets often led in intercessory prayer for mercy and forgiveness for God’s people. True prayer of repentance will always be in response to the Word of God, and is characterized by fervency and self-denial, and identifies itself unselfishly with God’s people. We are always strengthened by confession knowing that weakness in us, brings strengthening grace given by God to overcome our sinful desires and turn to the ways of glorifying God. Moses, Jeremiah, Daniel, to name a few of the prophets of God who interceded for their fellow man. And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now therefore, let Me alone, that I may consume them. And I will make you a great nation.” Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the Land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Exodus 32:11-14 could have consumed all the people and started over again with Moses, just like he had earlier with Abraham (Genesis 12). Moses appeal for God to change His mind to relent succeeded because God had only threatened judgment, and not decreed it. A divine intention is not an unchangeable divine decree.
Beloved friend, Today, we do not have to plead with God to turn away His wrath from us, He loves us, and wants to save us. But we do need to confess our sins to Him in true repentance. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10 Continual confession of sins is a part of the genuine Christian’s life. The term “confess” means to say the same thing about sin as God does. Where does my example do the most good? To those I love most! My family, my friends, my church family, and my neighbors. The greatest need in our world is the need for more godly men, and women leading the way for others to follow after their patterns of authentic Christian living. There is no substitute for God’s people in our society!
May the Lord bless your walk!
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